MediaVigil, Journal of Global Communications and Justice

Media Briefing Paper June 25, 2012 Mankind’s Biggest Identification Database will Create Permanent Emergency Architecture Data Mining Mafia Threatens National Security and Citizens Rights Citizens Must Boycott Biometric Information Based Registers like CIDR, NPR & DNA Bank New Chief Election Commissioner Should Cancel Proposal to link UID with Voter Card The Presidential candidate of Indian National Congress led United Progressive Alliance, Pranab Kumar Mukherjee owes an answer to the question: Will “online data base” of residents of India (inclusive of citizens) safeguard the sovereignty of the Republic? The biggest-ever database being attempted in the history of mankind merits a rigorous political debate. An autocratic social control technology regime is silently giving birth to a permanent emergency architecture. In his 2009-10 Budget Speech as Finance Minister, Mukherjee had said, “The...

BJP-backed Presidential poll candidate P A Sangma targeted Finance Minister and UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee for the economic slowdown on June 24. The Presidential election is scheduled to take place on July 19. "If the rupee is at an all time low, if the international rating for credit has been downgraded, (there is) so much of corruption, who is responsible...?" he asked. "The entire corporate world is with Pranab Mukherjee," said Sangma. He is supported by BJP, AIADMK and BJD, was talking to reporters in Amritsazr during a visit to the Golden Temple. "You see individually, it is the Finance Minister who is responsible for price rice, for corruption, for devaluation of money and (the issue of bringing back) blackmoney... collectively the Prime Minister and his cabinet, but individually it is the Finance Minister's responsibility," he said. Sangma, who is pinning hopes on a "conscience vote" and his tribal identity, has virtually dared ...

Mohamed Morsy was declared Egypt’s first Islamist President on June 24 after the freest elections in the country’s history, narrowly defeating Hosni Mubarak’s last Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq in a race that raised political tensions in Egypt to a fever pitch. The country’s last four Presidents over the past six decades have all came from the ranks of the military. This is the first time modern Egypt will be headed by an Islamist and by a freely elected civilian. Throngs of Mr. Morsy's supporters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square erupted in cheers and dancing when the result was read out on live television. Some released doves with his pictures over the square where the uprising that ousted Mubarak last year was born. Others set off fireworks. Mr. Morsy’s spokesman Ahmed Abdel-Attie said words cannot describe the “joy” in this “historic moment.” “We got to this moment because of the blood of the martyrs of the revolution,” he said. “Egypt will start a new phase in its history.” The anno...

Ecuador's embassy in London said on Saturday that ambassador Anna Alban was scheduled to travel to her country's capital for talks on the bizarre request for political asylum made by Wikileaks chief Julian Assange. Assange took refuge inside Ecuador's embassy on Tuesday, and remains camped out in an office, as his legal options ran out for avoiding extradition from Britain to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning for alleged sex crimes. Ecuador's leftist President Rafael Correa has said his government is considering Assange's request, but has not indicated when a decision will be made. A spokesman for the country's embassy, who requested anonymity to discuss the visit in advance, said on Saturday that Alban would travel to Quito this weekend for talks on the matter. Speaking Thursday from inside the embassy, Assange said he had made his bid for asylum because the “Ecuadoreans were sympathetic in relation to my struggles.” He had previously interviewed Corre...

Julian Assange‘s interview with Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa for his series The World Tomorrow. Source: http://assange.rt.com

Paraguay's former President Fernando Lugo addressed the nation after the Senate voted to remove him from office in an impeachment trial at the Presidential palace in Asuncion on June 22. Paraguay’s Senate removed President Fernando Lugo from office in a rapid impeachment trial and the leftist former priest said he was stepping aside even though he considered his ouster a blow to democracy. Vice-President Federico Franco was promptly sworn in as President after tense hours during which Mr. Lugo’s supporters massed in the streets facing off with riot police. The outgoing President, who was elected on pledges of helping the poor, averted the potential for a bigger conflict by appearing on television and saying he would comply with the Senate’s vote. “I say goodbye as President,” a smiling and gracious Mr. Lugo said shortly after the Senate vote. He said, however, that Paraguay’s democracy “has been deeply wounded.” Mr. Franco, who had parted ways with Mr. Lugo in recent years, triumph...

Purno Agitok Sangma, a tribal leader has emerged a winnable Presidential candidate. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of BJD and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa of AIADMK had announced their support for former Lok Sabha Speaker, former Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Meghalaya, PA Sangma's candidature for President on May 17, 2012. BJP announced their support for Sangma on June 21. More support is likely to flow in from other UPA, non-UPA and NDA and non-NDA parties. The name of Sangma was chosen from a list of six names forwarded by the tribal MP’s forum. There are 53 tribal MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Tribals comprise about 8% of the country's population. Meghalaya leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Conrad Sangma is leading a full-fedged campaign in support of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma’s candidature for the post of president. He said there is no whip from the party and it is a conscious decision with the rights bestowed upon eac...

Lok Sabha Debates ADJOURNMENT MOTION: Regarding Situation Arising Out Of Money ... on 14 December, 2011 Title: Regarding situation arising out of money deposited illegally in foreign banks and action being taken against the guilty persons. श्री लाल कृष्ण आडवाणी (गांधीनगर):महोदया, मैं प्रस्ताव करता हूँ : "कि सभा अब स्थगित हो। " पिछले दो सालों में मंहगाई की चर्चा अनेक बार हुई है। पिछले दो सालों में भ्रष्टाचार और अलग-अलग घोटालों के बारे में कई बार चर्चा हुई है। लेकिन मुझे स्मरण नहीं आता कि आज तक संसद में कभी काले धन की चर्चा हुई हो। सन् 1947 में देश आजाद हुआ फिर संविधान बना, उसके बाद सन् 1952 से लेकर अनेक चुनाव हुए और संसद चलती रही। मैं शुरूआत में तो पत्रकार के नाते संसद की कार्यवाही से परिचित रहा बाद में सन् 1970 के बाद से सांसद बन कर परिचित रहा। कभी भी आर्थिक विषयों की चर्चा आती थी तो इसका उल्लेख होता था कि कितना धन अंडरग्राउंड है? जिसके बारे में पूरे अकाउंट्स सामने नहीं आते हैं और जिस पर टैक्स नहीं दिया जाता है, उसे काल धन कह कर पुकारते थे कि काला धन कितना है, उसका ...